Narrative:

I sent an ACARS message informing the crew desk that upon arrival in ZZZ1 I was removing myself from the remainder of the trip due to fatigue. We had been reassigned the previous day and had had a minimum rest layover in ZZZ. The procedure outlined in our fom tells the pilot to call the crew desk to advise them that we are fatigued and tell them when we will be available for further flight assignment; and to file a report. After I sent the ACARS message; I received a reply from the crew desk telling me to call duty manager upon arrival in ZZZ1. This is not procedure; and I questioned the crew desk about it being a 'courtesy call' or a requirement. I was stonewalled repeatedly and told to call the duty manager. After several messages; a crew desk manager responded by saying words to the effect that the call to the duty manager was to 'review the fatigue letter....' he was unwilling to provide any reference or answer whether or not it was a required call. Finally; I got an ACARS message from management with the (above) fom reference. Telling a pilot to call the duty manager is kind of like telling a student to go and see the principal. It is a blatant attempt to intimidate and push pilots! In fact; my first officer; who I believe was just as fatigued as I was; upon seeing the message to call the duty manager; asked me if that was normal. We discussed it at length and he observed the communications I had over ACARS. I believe he was intimidated into not calling fatigued! No amount of blather about 'reviewing' the fatigue letter can mask the reason! It is not procedure and is tantamount to pilot pushing and intimidation! I wish the FAA would intervene and put a stop to it!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 CAPT DESCRIBES INTIMIDATING REACTION FROM HIS COMPANY UPON DECLARING FATIGUE.

Narrative: I SENT AN ACARS MESSAGE INFORMING THE CREW DESK THAT UPON ARR IN ZZZ1 I WAS REMOVING MYSELF FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP DUE TO FATIGUE. WE HAD BEEN REASSIGNED THE PREVIOUS DAY AND HAD HAD A MINIMUM REST LAYOVER IN ZZZ. THE PROC OUTLINED IN OUR FOM TELLS THE PLT TO CALL THE CREW DESK TO ADVISE THEM THAT WE ARE FATIGUED AND TELL THEM WHEN WE WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR FURTHER FLT ASSIGNMENT; AND TO FILE A REPORT. AFTER I SENT THE ACARS MESSAGE; I RECEIVED A REPLY FROM THE CREW DESK TELLING ME TO CALL DUTY MGR UPON ARR IN ZZZ1. THIS IS NOT PROC; AND I QUESTIONED THE CREW DESK ABOUT IT BEING A 'COURTESY CALL' OR A REQUIREMENT. I WAS STONEWALLED REPEATEDLY AND TOLD TO CALL THE DUTY MGR. AFTER SEVERAL MESSAGES; A CREW DESK MGR RESPONDED BY SAYING WORDS TO THE EFFECT THAT THE CALL TO THE DUTY MGR WAS TO 'REVIEW THE FATIGUE LETTER....' HE WAS UNWILLING TO PROVIDE ANY REF OR ANSWER WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS A REQUIRED CALL. FINALLY; I GOT AN ACARS MESSAGE FROM MGMNT WITH THE (ABOVE) FOM REF. TELLING A PLT TO CALL THE DUTY MGR IS KIND OF LIKE TELLING A STUDENT TO GO AND SEE THE PRINCIPAL. IT IS A BLATANT ATTEMPT TO INTIMIDATE AND PUSH PLTS! IN FACT; MY FO; WHO I BELIEVE WAS JUST AS FATIGUED AS I WAS; UPON SEEING THE MESSAGE TO CALL THE DUTY MGR; ASKED ME IF THAT WAS NORMAL. WE DISCUSSED IT AT LENGTH AND HE OBSERVED THE COMS I HAD OVER ACARS. I BELIEVE HE WAS INTIMIDATED INTO NOT CALLING FATIGUED! NO AMOUNT OF BLATHER ABOUT 'REVIEWING' THE FATIGUE LETTER CAN MASK THE REASON! IT IS NOT PROC AND IS TANTAMOUNT TO PLT PUSHING AND INTIMIDATION! I WISH THE FAA WOULD INTERVENE AND PUT A STOP TO IT!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.